Free at Noon Flashback: Gordi bridges heady synth-rock and anthemic pop at World Cafe Live

After playing a Thursday night gig at Johnny Brenda’s and before heading down I-95 to play D.C.’s Songbyrd Music House, singer-songwriter Sophie Payten — known onstage as Gordi — stoped by World Cafe Live for a Free at Noon concert performance.

Sonically, the Sydney, Australia singer and songwriter manages to exist in numerous stylistic zones simultaneously. After opening on the majestic “Myriad,” a simmering spacey synth-driven track, the mood shifted with “All The Light,” a poppy, Paula Cole-ish number peppered with samples. After that taste of her forthcoming Reservoir LP, out August 25th, Gordi dove back to her Clever Disguise EP for “Wanting,” her acoustic guitar strums providing an organic counterpoint to the drumpad rhythm.

As the set progressed, “Heaven I Know” felt very inspired by Frank Ocean and Kanye West with is tasteful use of autotune, while “So Here We Are” recalled Lo Moon by way of Peter Gabriel. Gordi’s strength is bridging those worlds of heady atmospheric rock and anthemic, empowering pop, and transforming them too — a feat illustrated impressively in the closing cover of Courtney Barnett’s “Avant Gardner,” inverted from a stoner guitar rocker into a heartbreaking minor key piano ballad.

Check out photos from the Free at Noon below, and get more information on Gordi’s Reservoir here, via Jagjaguwar Records.

Setlist
Myriad
All The Light
Wanting
Bitter End
Heaven I Know
So Here We Are
On My Side
Can We Work It Out

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About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH

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About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH